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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. stem — to come from
  3. pitch — completely
  4. chip — to eat
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. staff — employees
  11. bore — to tire
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bore — to drill
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bore — gave birth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com